The Kennedy Center has warned of a possible massive financial setback, potentially in the “hundreds of millions,” following a court order to erase President Donald Trump‘s name from its foundation.
The center lodged a court document on the night of June 29, pleading for a stay to suspend the federal judge’s directive. It argued that the financial harm it would endure “will never be recovered,” jeopardizing its future construction projects, reported Forbes.
The bylaws of the Trump Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Foundation dictate that donations must be refunded if Trump’s name is removed. The document also disclosed that some donors were only inclined to donate because the center carried Trump’s name, as per the filing.
The Kennedy Center, which has secured $258 million from Congress and hundreds of millions in private donations, is seeking a temporary pause of a court order while it appeals the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
In the filing, Kennedy Center attorneys suggested that the President’s construction capabilities could restore the building to its former grandeur, provided the center does not lose the significant amount it has collected in donations.
Kennedy Center Name Fight Grows
This move came after a federal appeals court rejected the administration’s last-minute request to delay a deadline to restore the Kennedy Center name after a district judge ruled that only Congress can authorize a renaming.
The Justice Department confirmed all Trump-related signage had been removed. The Trump-appointed board’s 2025 decision to rename the venue sparked widespread backlash, leading to canceled performances, severed artistic partnerships, and the dismissal last week of the Kennedy Center’s $1 million lawsuit against jazz drummer Chuck Redd over his protest cancellation.
Since June 13, large tarps have covered the Kennedy Center sign after Trump’s name was removed. The center says the tarps are for marble facade repairs, though no timeline has been given for their removal. The move has drawn criticism from Democrats, including Rep. Joyce Beatty, who filed a lawsuit challenging the addition of Trump’s name.
Trump has made beautification projects in Washington, D.C., a second-term priority, but the recently renovated reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial quickly became overrun with algae, a setback Trump has blamed on vandals.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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